Mắm kho quẹt (Vietnamese caramelized fish sauce) is a unique dish of Vietnamese cuisine with a memorable sweet and savory flavor. The recipe combines simple ingredients, like dried shrimp, pork belly, and fish sauce, to create an irresistible dip that tastes heavenly when paired with boiled vegetables.
In this post, I’ll present you with a tasty yet simple-to-make recipe for mắm kho quẹt. Moreover, I’ll also include essential information about this iconic dish, which I believe will further enhance your appreciation for Vietnamese food culture!
Mắm Kho Quẹt: Humble Origins, Fantastic Taste
Hailing from the Mekong Delta of Vietnam, mắm kho quẹt is an easy-to-make dish that has been a staple in family meals for years, especially for those on a tight budget. It’s a stew-like mixture made from pork, pork fat, dried shrimp, fish sauce, and a few simple seasonings.
Farmers used to make this dish with whatever they had available in their kitchen during rainy days when it was impossible to work in the field. Since the sauce was quite savory, they would also pick some vegetables in their garden, boil them, and pair them with mắm kho quẹt.
In addition to boiled vegetables, the Vietnamese also enjoy mắm kho quẹt with rice or congee (cháo). And let me warn you, the combination of steaming hot rice and caramelized fish sauce will get you hooked!
What Are the Key Tools for Making Mắm Kho Quẹt?
Before getting to the cooking part, let’s first make sure that you have all the necessary tools for this recipe.
What Components Make Up Mắm Kho Quẹt?
For the ingredients, fish sauce, pork belly, and dried shrimp are the essentials for this recipe. Besides, remember to prepare some vegetables to pair with the sauce.
Follow These Steps for Cooking Mắm Kho Quẹt
Got all the required tools and ingredients? Well, I won’t keep you waiting any longer. Let’s whip up some sweet and savory mắm kho quẹt!
Step 1: Prepare the Vegetables
Finely chop the scallions. Mince the shallots, chili, and garlic, saving 1 to 2 garlic cloves. Cut the vegetables into bite-sized pieces.
Step 2: Soak the Dried Shrimp
Rinse the dried shrimp with clean water and soak them in warm water to soften them. Drain them afterward.
Step 3: Prepare the Pork
Separate the lean and fatty parts of the pork. Then, chop both parts into small pieces. You’ll use the fat to make pork cracklings.
Step 4: Make the Pork Cracklings
Heat the saucepan over medium heat. Add the pork fat and stir well until they turn golden brown. Remove the pork cracklings from the saucepan. There will be some rendered fat inside the pan, and you’ll use it for cooking the other ingredients.
Step 5: Cook the Pork
Add the garlic, shallots, and chili and stir well for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant.
Then, add in the chopped pork and stir-fry it until cooked. Next, add the softened dried shrimp into the saucepan and stir well.
Pour in:
Give everything a good stir. Cover the saucepan and cook for 30 minutes over low heat.
After 30 minutes, add the pork cracklings, green peppercorn, and scallions. Continue cooking for another 5 minutes on low heat.
Step 6: Boil the Vegetables
In the meantime, bring a pot of water to a boil. Add a little salt to the water. Doing this will help the veggies retain their bright color.
Once the water has come to a boil, add the carrots, white radishes, gourds, and broccoli to the pot. Cook them for 2 to 3 minutes, then remove them from the water.
Step 7: Serve the Dish
Serve the sauce in a bowl with the boiled vegetables and steaming hot rice. Enjoy your delicious mắm kho quẹt!
Helpful Notes for Vietnamese Caramelized Fish Sauce
In case you need more help in cooking this dish, I’ve rounded up some helpful tips that I believe you’ll find useful.
Why Not Try Mắm Kho Quẹt Now?
Vietnamese caramelized fish sauce is an extremely versatile dish that can be enjoyed as a delectable dip for various kinds of vegetables or as an ideal side dish to accompany rice, congee, and other culinary delights. Irrespective of the serving style, mắm kho quẹt is an infallible option due to its truly astounding flavor profile.
How do you feel about today’s post? Feel free to let me know your thoughts in the comment below. And if you find the recipe enjoyable, please like and share this article so that more people know about this tasty Vietnamese dish.
Mắm Kho Quẹt Recipe (Vietnamese Caramelized Fish Sauce)
Equipment
- Saucepan
- Knife
- Chopping Board
- Wooden Spoon
Ingredients
- 0.88 pounds pork belly
- 0.22 pounds dried shrimp
- 2.65 ounces scallions
- 0.7 ounces garlic
- 0.53 ounces shallots
- 1 branch of green peppercorn
- 1 chili pepper
Condiment and spices
- 7 tablespoons fish sauce
- 7 tablespoons water
- 3 teaspoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground pepper
- 3 teaspoons Vietnamese caramel sauce (nước màu)
Vegetables for serving
- Gourd, broccoli, white radish, carrot, etc.
Instructions
- Finely chop the scallions. Mince the shallots, chili, and garlic, saving 1 to 2 garlic cloves. Cut the vegetables into bite-sized pieces.
- Rinse the dried shrimp with clean water. Soak them in warm water to soften them. Drain them afterward.
- Separate the lean and fat parts of the pork. Chop both parts into small pieces.
- Heat the saucepan over medium heat. Add the pork fat and stir well until they turn golden brown. Set aside.
- Add the garlic, shallots, and chili. Stir well for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add in the chopped pork and stir-fry it until cooked. Add the softened dried shrimp into the saucepan and stir well.
- Pour in the fish sauce, water, sugar, ground pepper, and caramel sauce. Give everything a good stir. Cover the saucepan and cook for 30 minutes over low heat.
- After 30 minutes, add the pork cracklings, green peppercorn, and scallions. Continue cooking for another 5 minutes on low heat.
- Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add a little salt to the water. Once the water has come to a boil, add the vegetables. Cook them for 2 to 3 minutes then remove them from the water.
- Serve the sauce in a bowl with the boiled vegetables and steaming hot rice.
Video
Notes
- The cooking time is for making 4 servings.
- The estimated calories do not include the boiled vegetables.
- Traditionally, the Vietnamese will cook this dish in a clay pot, which is believed to add more flavor.
- Besides boiling the vegetables, you can also grill them.
- Always add the scallions and green peppercorn toward the end of cooking. Likewise, don’t add the pork cracklings too soon or they’ll lose their crispness.
- If you want to try something different, consider swapping steamed rice for Vietnamese crispy burnt rice (cơm cháy).
- Feel free to adjust the seasonings and spices to your liking.
Nutrition
Richie
Content Writer
Expertise
Home Cooking, Meal Planning, Food Styling, Food Photography, Cooking-video Maker, Beverage Evaluation Expert
Education
Saigon Culinary Arts Centre, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Vietnam Australia Vocational School (VAAC), Hanoi, Vietnam
Richie, based in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, is a dynamic Content Writer with a talent for capturing the essence of culinary art.
Richie specializes in creating visually appealing and tasty content, offering a new angle on Vietnamese and other culinary traditions. With a background in graphic design and a love for food styling and photography, he expertly combines beauty with food narratives, encouraging his audience to discover the culinary world through his imaginative perspective.